Collective Action: Mobilizing for Change

Collective Action: Mobilizing for Change examines how communication operates as a strategic force in the formation, activation, and coordination of collective action. The course moves beyond individual-level persuasion to focus on how messages, narratives, identities, and infrastructures mobilize groups, networks, and publics. Core topics include theories of collective action and mobilization; strategic communication and audience segmentation; narrative, framing, and collective identity; digital platforms and algorithmic mediation; power, ethics, and accessibility in mobilization; and comparative case studies drawn from social movements, advocacy campaigns, organizational mobilization, and civic action. Throughout the course, students are encouraged to connect strategic communication practices to broader social, political, and technological contexts.